238 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



water was here derived from a reservoir in the creek, and was raised 

 by a 140 horse-power engine to a height of 260 feet, the level of the 

 hillside workings, and then to an additional height of 40 feet to an 

 elevated tank, which gives a total fall of about 60 feet available for 

 hydraulicking. The water was conducted through a 10-inch pipe and 

 6-inch hose terminating in a 21/^-inch nozzle. About 1,200 Canadian 

 gallons a minute could be delivered. This enabled one man to wash out 

 no less than 8 cubic yards per hour, and the gravel was washed 

 straight into the sluice-boxes without the necessity for intermediate 

 labor. 



If ever water becomes more abundant and accessible in the dis- 

 trict, there can be no doubt that hydraulicking will be largely em- 

 ployed. 



On Bonanza Creek I witnessed another novelty in the first opera- 

 tions of a new dredging plant which had just been introduced, having 

 been formerly employed on an auriferous sand bar upon the Lewes 

 Eiver. It is very possible that dredging will prove to be an efficient 

 and economical way of working over some of the old claims in the 

 creeks which have only been treated by the cruder methods of the earlier 

 miners. 



There are other introductions which were new at the time of my 

 visit; although no crushing of quartz had then been effected, a small 

 Tremaine mill had just been erected on the banks of the Klondike in 

 the immediate neighborhood of Dawson, and it is to be hoped that we 

 shall soon hear of promising results among the quartz discoveries. 

 An auriferous conglomerate found in considerable deposits on the 

 Indian Eiver was attracting much attention, chiefly on account of 

 its superficial resemblance to the South African banket. 



In default of resources other than gold, the prosperity of Klon- 

 dike in the immediate future appears to me to depend mainly upon 

 the extent to which in the creeks water can be more economically and 

 bountifully supplied, labor and the necessaries of life more cheaply 

 obtained, and communication be made more easy, so that it may be 

 possible to work low-grade gravel at a profit. There is much auriferous 

 material which it does not at present pay to touch. The Govern- 

 ment is giving every encouragement, and in Mr. Eoss the Territory 

 has a strong governor; roads have been constructed; the royalty has 

 been reduced to 5 per cent., and on all claims $5,000 of gold are 

 exempt. The necessary charges are only $10 for a miner's license, 

 $15 for recording a claim, $50 for surveying, $15 for renewal, and an 

 owner is only required to put $500 worth of work on to his claim each 

 year. 



But the cost of water, wood, labor and materials is almost pro- 

 hibitive; the standard of living is high, although there is, I think, a 



